Letters: Don't get a pet if you can't take care of it

COURTESY PHOTOGiGi is doing better since she was surrendered to the Noah Project, where she was nursed back to health. She already has been adopted

On Feb. 25, I and a friend stopped by the Noah Project to drop an item off for the cats. As we were talking, Rose told me to come back and take a look at a little dog that had been surrendered just a few minutes prior to my arrival. I am thankful that the woman who gave up this precious little girl was not still around.

This little dog was in the worse shape I had ever seen an animal. I’m sure it wasn’t the worse Noah has seen because its volunteers have seen it all. Her front paws looked as though she had bangle bracelets on. The hair was matted in a circle all the way around both paws. Her back was the same thing. The matting on her legs was so bad that she had urine burns because it stayed on her body due to her condition. Feces were stuck to her and her underbody was an indescribable mess. GiGi ( as we call her now) had paws that were so bad her nails we growing into her pads. She could barely see due to the crusting and hair that had not been trimmed around her eyes. Eating, well that was a problem, too. GiGi’s mouth was in such bad shape that she could hardly get food in her mouth.

It took quite some time to get the matting out just to bath her. She had an odor to her that was consistent with neglect. If this dog had ever been groomed or bathed it had been a long damn time.

She didn’t even fight us. I think she was so glad to have someone touch her and care about her that she would have taken a beating rather than whine about anything.

The individual that surrendered her told Noah that she had a baby two years ago and just didn’t have time for this dog. This is a case of animal abuse if I have ever seen it. She should have been thrown to the dogs and I don’t mean nice dogs.

What’s really hard to understand is the fact that she bought this dog. Now you would think if someone put money out for a pedigree that the common sense gene would engage and she’d take care of it. If this women is married her husband or significant other is just as responsible for the neglect as she is.

GiGi immediately had an adoption request put on her. My friend was so taken back at the neglect this poor little girl had gone through she knew she had to take her home and give her the best life.

GiGi’s new mom comes down to Noah every day the shelter is open and she is not working. She sits with her, holds her, cuddles her, talks to her and promises her she will never ever be neglected like that again . GiGi just lays in her arms and smiles. Once in a while she gets a wink which tells her that GiGi knows her life of neglect and pain is over.

Please, if you cannot properly take care of a pet, do not get one. Have you any idea how much suffering they go through at the hands of well-meaning owners.